Process of making nitric acid.



No. 898,033. PATBNTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

o. H. u. BRTINLER.

mocnss OF MAKING NITRIC ACID.

- APPLIOATIOE IILED'IAR. 13, 1906.

I I lylwifddjda m W Ma OSCAR HEINRICH ULRICH BRU'NLER, OF LEIlZIG-GOIILIS, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF MAKING NITRIC ACID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed March 13, 1908. Serial No. 305,817.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LOsoAic llinxuu'n i RICH BR'L' NLBR, of 16 Politzstrasse, Leipzig- Gohlis, Saxony, Germany, a subjectof the Emperor of Germany, engineer, have invented anew and useful Process of Making Nitric Acid or the Salts of Nitric Acid, of

which the following is a specification.

In utilizing the nitrogen of the atmosphere for obtaining nitric acid hitherto the high temperatures have been used, whi h are produced by electrical. means. This nieihc is subject to the drawback, that with the expenditure of considerable quantities of energy the production of nitric acid is rela. tively very small. Hence the process becomes very expensive. To enable nitrogen to enter into chemical combination with oxygen, electricity itself was required merely in connection with the high temperature, which hitherto could only be attained by electrical means. For the oxidation of nitrogen a temperature of about 2500 centigrade is necessary.

In this process a furnace is wholly or par- ,tially immersed, mouth downwards, in water. A mixture of combustible gases and oxy en with a definite addition of nitrogen are 'rought to combustion in such a manner, that the burning gases force their way into and through the water. The addition of nitrogen, which is either mixed directly with they are burning, rust be regulated in such is not lowered, owing to the heat \\'ithdra\\'n by the nitrogen, below the point which forms the lower limit for the oxidation of nitrogen. \Vhile the burning gases penetrate the water and the products of combustion pass through the water, the oxidation product obtained from the nitrogen is converted j into nitric acid.

It a solution of common salt 18 used mis. decomposed by contact with the Home inlo chlorm and sodium, the sodium Cullllfllillig used to obtainpthcr salts of nitric acid The process is carried out most effectively,

when the combustion takes plucewiih the gases under hiph pressure, lmcausc the greater density 0 the burning gases, together with the developmentof more heat in a given space and the compression itself, aid essentially in furthering the chemical reactions, which occur.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a specimen of an apparatus suitable for carry ing out the. process.

c is a closed vessel, capable of xn'thstandlug pressure, which is partially f lled with water.

b a pipe f or the inlet of water, 0 is a pipe for the outlet of the products of combustion, a are pipes for the admission of oxygen, containing c.- prcvious admixture of a suflicient quantity of nitrogen h are inlets for combuszibles, (l is a combustion cham er with a mouth i i The ap aratus operates as follows: A mixture i oxygen and nitrogen admixes in the pipes e with the combustibles entering by pipes and the gases are then ignited either in temperature is already attained, before the the oxygen, or allowed to stream into the combustib 0 mixture or also into the gases as i flame comes into contact with the water.

The pointed flame is mclosed by an en- \elop oi superheated steam. bring to the.

a manner, that the temperature of the flame 1 high u-m wraiurc the steam is decomposed into its e mounts and furthers the chemical action by thei'ormution of new combinations. The production of niirir :u-id inn be can ied om thus as a profitable proc ss.

Ylmtl claim as my imcnlion. and desire in s cure by Lotti-rs lntrm, is;

Process of converting the nitrogen of the air into nitric acid, b burning in :1 burner immersed, mouth d wnwards, in water astead of ordinary water, the soduun chlorid mixmre ol' combustible gas, oxygen and nitrogvn, whi h mixture contains morcoxygeu than the at nl'vsphcric air, as and for the pmwith the nitric acid to form sodium nitrate. Similarly solutions of other salts may bef pose-specified.

in wit ness when-oil have hereunto sit my hand in the presence of two witness-es.

OF -Hi lllllHlH'li lldll 'll lull Hill. ii ncsscs:

(-. DlEllI-IRJHU, Fu. Hon-mums.

The chamber is of such a i 

